Team Herald
PORVORIM: While the ruling benches expressed complete support for the signing of the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the national waterways project, the opposition was unanimous in demanding that the government call on the Centre with a request to remove six Goan rivers from the ambit of the National Waterways Act.
The House on Monday held a marathon discussion on a motion moved by BJP MLAs on the issue of nationalisation of rivers. The discussion, which saw some heated arguments between Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister Vijai Sardesai and the opposition Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, also had the opposition claiming that the State will lose its right over the rivers and that the livelihood of fishing communities, living along the banks of these six rivers will be affected.
The House also saw a demand for a special session to pass a resolution opposing the inclusion of Goan rivers in the national waterways project.
“If we cannot pass the resolution, as the motion for that is not moved, Government can very well request the Centre to amend the Act and remove all six Goan rivers from its ambit of national waterways,” Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said while stating that the Congress Legislative Party has already written to the Union Ministry for Shipping (Nitin Gadkari) requesting to remove Goa from the National Waterways Act.
Kavlekar said the BJP is ruling in Goa and the Centre and hence it would be easier for the Chief Minister to make a request, citing that the entire State is against the move. “It is a fact that there is opposition to this project and Government cannot deny that. We have to bring to the notice of the Centre this,” he stated.
Earlier, Congress MLAs including Ravi Naik, Luizinho Faleiro and Lourenco demanded that the House unanimously pass a resolution to the effect that the State is not in favour of the national waterways project. This was declined by Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant, who brought it to their notice that to pass a resolution, a proper motion has to be moved.
Opposing signing of the MoU, Congress MLA Ravi Naik said the national waterways project is detrimental to Goa as the State will lose all its right and control over the six rivers. “We will have no power left. For everything we will have to rush to the Centre and that is not acceptable,” he said while bringing to the notice of the House that River Navigation Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, during his earlier tenure, had raised objections to the project.
Reading out various clauses and sections of the National Waterways Act, Lourenco said that signing of MoU will not supersede the Act and hence there is no point of signing such an agreement with Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). “We need to pass a resolution opposing this. There is opposition from every corner. People like fishermen are objecting to the project as it is feared their livelihood will be affected,” he said.
The MLA also brought to the notice of the House that Kerala has raised objections to giving away its rivers and Goa should fight on similar lines. Lourenco had heated arguments with Parrikar, who suggested that the former approach the Court challenging the law. The Chief Minister clarified that State Assembly cannot debate on a law.
Participating in the discussion, former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro suggested that instead of declaring the rivers as of national importance, State can ask for a special package for their development. “State can ask for special grant or special Prime Minister’s package to develop the rivers, but don’t give away the State power on it,” he said.
Faleiro said that once the State signs the MoU, it will be difficult to have control over the rivers, as IWAI and MPT will have demands, as one is the financing agency and other is the executing agency.
Earlier, moving the motion for discussion, BJP MLAs Rajesh Patnekar, Nilesh Cabral, Alina Saldanha and Glen Ticlo supported the government decision to sign the MoU claiming that it will give Captain of Ports the powers to decide on the projects to be developed along the rivers.
“Chief Minister has already made it clear that signing of MoU will give back powers to the State, which are currently vested with IWAI,” they said assuring that the government will allay all fears and apprehensions in the minds of people of Goa, specially the fishing community on the issue.
